Survey finds Karnataka the most corrupt state

"Among public services, households reported experiencing corruption was relatively higher in police (34%), followed by land and housing (24%), judicial services (18%), tax (15%) and public distribution system (12%)", it claimed. According to the think- tank Karnataka is most unethical state and people in the state handled corruption in retrieving public services.

In the last one year, households experiencing corruption in public services was higher in Karnataka at 77 per cent followed by Andhra Pradesh 74 per cent, Tamil Nadu with 68 per cent, Maharashtra 57 per cent, Jammu and Kashmir with 44 per cent and Punjab with 42 per cent. However, in states like Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and J&K, around 25 per cent of respondents blamed the citizens for the prevalence of corruption in public services.

As per CMS, in January they conducted a telephonic survey as well in view of getting people's reaction over demonetization and 67 percent participants said that level of corruption decreased during previous year November and December. However, the study indicated how a lot still remained to be done to reduce corruption in public services.

CMS discovered that total of Rs 20,500 crore was paid by the common man as bribe in 2005, which has now decreased to Rs 6350 crore in 2016. And they paid an amount as low as Rs 20 for services like getting ration in PDS shops or admission form in a government school and even an amount as high as Rs 50,000 for admission in school or for early hearing in a court.

In most of the states, the more often paid bribe amount ranged between Rs 100-500.

CMS chairman N Bhaskara Rao said the key reasons for paying a bribe for a public service remained consistent between 2005 and 2017, "indicating there has been little focus on ground-level issues while addressing corruption".

"The subtle differences in the attitude to corruption in public affairs and the emerging differences among the states are the most interesting aspect of this report ..." Kerala (4%) and Chhattisgarh (13%) were also among the least corrupt.

In 2016, only 33% of households said that they experienced corruption, of any form, in the country.